


I (Want You To Let Me) Love You

by DigitalThespian



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Adora (She-Ra) Needs a Hug, Emotional Baggage, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Glimmer is Hardcore, Hurt/Comfort, Mild Blood, Mood Whiplash, Oblivious Adora (She-Ra)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-06
Updated: 2019-03-06
Packaged: 2019-11-12 15:53:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,095
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18013811
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DigitalThespian/pseuds/DigitalThespian
Summary: Adora has a nightmare after Mystacor.Glimmer ends up in the line of fire.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [HungryLibrary](https://archiveofourown.org/users/HungryLibrary/gifts).



> This was a prompt that got way out of hand!  
> http://a-dauntless-daffodil.tumblr.com/post/182918589912/an-angsty-glimmadora-idea-that-im-totally-not  
> It was supposed to be angsty and stuff, and then it suddenly became something disgustingly adorable about half way through.  
> So uh. Sorry about that.

"Adora? Are you awake?" Glimmer crept into Adora's room, trying not to wake her, should she be sleeping.

"Who's there!? Oh, Shadow Weaver _you **bitch**!!" _Glimmer looked over only to see Adora barreling towards her at full speed, sword raised. "You used her against me once already, _how **dare** you do it again!?"_

_Again?!_

"Adora, wait! It's me! Like, the actual me!" Glimmer's eyes widened as Adora didn't slow, and she teleported across the room just in time to avoid Adora's swing. "Adora, stop! She can't hurt you here, it's me, Glimmer!"

 _" **SHUT UP!** " _Adora's eyes glowed faintly with the sword's power as she hit the wall and pushed back off, charging across the room.

Glimmer sidestepped one slash, and ducked another. "Please! Adora, I don't want to fight you!"

Adora's gaze was furious, forgoing words in favor of the language of war. She swung low at Glimmer's legs.

Glimmer quickly pulled her legs up to hop over the swing.

_That's weird, that one was way too low, is she calming down?_

Adora's expression morphed into one of grim satisfaction, the glow growing brighter. " _Gotcha._ "

_Wait. What does she mean, 'gotcha'-_

Adora's swing arced upward, and she pushed up on the pommel while hauling back on the hilt.

With the added leverage, the tip of the blade reversed directions, and Glimmer realized she had mere moments before it reached her face. She teleported away-

Adora growled in anger. "You can't escape forever _Weaver!"_

-and landed on her knees across the room with a strangled cry, blood dripping onto the floor.

The sword had cut vertically through her right eyebrow before she escaped. Glimmer quickly held a hand to her face, assessing the damage.

_Holy shit, that was too close. That was almost to the bone, a split second more and I would have lost the eye.. or worse._

Adora stood transfixed, staring at the blood on the floor. The sword slipped out of her hand and fell to the floor with a clatter. "You're real."

Her legs buckled, dropping her to her hands and knees. "You're real.. oh gods, you're real."

Glimmer relaxed, one hand out in a placating gesture, the other holding the cut to stop the blood from running down her face. "Yeah, it's okay Adora, it's me, everything's going to be fine." She started walking towards Adora.

Adora scrabbled backwards, nearly tipping herself over in her haste. "No! Don't come near me!"

Glimmer froze. "Adora..?"

"I just _hurt_ you!" She looked away, tears in her eyes. "You can't trust me.."

Glimmer frowned. "Adora, that's not true. Of course I can trust you."

"I could have ki-" She choked up. "..I almost killed you." Her shoulders were slumped inwards, and she drew her knees up to her chest. "I'm not safe to be around.."

Her voice started to rise. "I should have been able to tell, I should _know better!"_ She slammed a fist on the floor as her voice reached its peak.

"Adora, listen to me: you are not to blame for what that _witch_ did to you." Glimmer spat the word as though she couldn't rid her mouth of it soon enough. "Adora, I know you. You aren't a Horde soldier anymore."

"I've only ever _**been**_ a soldier! First a Force Captain, now She-Ra! Being She-Ra is the only identity I have left, if I can't do that right I'm nothing," She looked at the cut on Glimmer's eyebrow. "And I couldn't even do that.." She laid her head on her knees. "I'm nothing but a failure now."

"Adora.."

"I'm sorry, Glimmer. I promised I wouldn't let you down. Guess that's I'm best at, huh?" She clenched her fists, voice trembling. "And now I'm wasting your time with my _stupid_ problems, _and_ you're bleeding because _Adora_ couldn't handle a _stupid_ nightmare!"

She let her hands go slack. "Maybe Light Hope was right. Maybe I should just be She-Ra full-time; it's not like the world would be missing Force Captain Adora." The fight had gone from Adora's voice.

Glimmer shook her head. " _NO!_ That's not true! You're not _just_ She-Ra, and you're not Force Captain Adora, and you're _not_ a failure!"

"Then _who **am** I!?"_ Adora fisted her hands in her hair, her cry echoing in the silence.

Glimmer looked into her eyes and smiled softly. "You're my friend, Adora. The Adora I know, _my_ Adora, who looks with wonder at things I take for granted. The one who made the _choice_ to walk away from the Horde; not because it was the easy choice, but because it was the _right_ one. I gave you the sword; you could have easily overpowered me as She-Ra."

"I tried to hurt you when we first met, Glimmer." Adora's tone was monotone, defeated.

Glimmer held up a hand and admonished her gently. "Let me finish. If you had taken me, that would have been a crippling, if not fatal, blow to the Rebellion. You had the chance to kidnap a Princess, your _worst enemy_ , and not only that, the daughter of the leader of the Rebellion."

Glimmer started to walk towards Adora again. "You've always just wanted to protect people, and you thought that you were doing so. You were never a Horde soldier at heart. If Force Captain Adora was the 'real' you, you would have struck me down without hesitation. You had the perfect opportunity to catapult yourself to the top, and crush the Rebellion." She smiled and knelt down next to Adora.

"But you didn't. Because you found out you were wrong, and you admitted it, and you tried to make things right." She reached out gently, silently asking for permission to comfort her.

Adora was still for a moment, then looked up and nodded slowly.

Glimmer carefully took her hand away from her forehead, and gently set it on Adora's shoulder. She cupped her cheek with her other hand, resting their foreheads together. "You've always _been_ who you are."

Glimmer smiled, and spoke softly, her words filled with warmth. "You've _always_ been my Adora."

Adora drew a shaky breath. "Glimmer, I-" She stopped and tried to swallow past the lump in her throat. "Why? Why are you so kind to me? Why are you so gentle? I hurt you, and you're here comforting _me_."

She looked down. "You should be having me dragged away, or be getting help for that cut, not-" She choked back a sob. "..you shouldn't be sitting here wasting your time on someone who tried to kill you."

Glimmer gently rubbed Adora's cheek with her thumb. "You're not a waste of time, Adora. Here; I'm gonna teleport us onto my bed, okay?"

Adora just nodded slightly, afraid that if she started talking again, she wouldn't be able to stop herself from falling apart.

There was a flash, and Glimmer quickly pulled a few pillows and blankets into a little nest. She settled herself in it, leaving space for Adora to rest up against her. "Alright."

Adora didn't move, she simply continued to stare down at the bed, her hands on her knees.

"Will you come sit with me?"

She wordlessly crawled into the nest, stiffly curled up as far from Glimmer as possible.

Glimmer sighed. "Adora-"

Adora curled up a little tighter. "Sorry.."

"No, don't apologize. I want you to do whatever you need to make yourself comfortable." She paused, considering her next words carefully. "And if that means you need to be closer to me, I want you to do that."

Adora looked up finally, a sad look in her eyes. "We really should get the cut looked at-"

"Adora, it's okay, I want to take care of you."

"But you're so much more important than I am!" Adora had looked back down, clenching fistfuls of blanket. "I can't prioritize myself above you like that.."

_I didn't want to do it this way, but one thing at a time, Glimmer. This will help her relax, and we can unpack why later. But right now she needs me, and this is the only way I can think of to get her to accept it._

"Since I'm the highest ranking Brightmoon officer here; as acting commander, and as your _friend_ , I am making the executive decision to prioritize your care over mine."

Adora's head shot up. " _What?_ That's not.. the CO _**always**_ comes first..!" Her eyes widened and her upper body snapped to attention. "I- I mean, yes ma'am! Whatever you say!"

_What has Adora gone through to make her like this?_

_...If I ever see Shadow Weaver again, I'm not going to settle for just knocking her out. NO ONE does this to my Adora._

"At ease, Adora." Adora relaxed slightly, but didn't let her guard down. Glimmer spoke softly. "Do you trust me?"

"Of course I do! You're.. You're _Glimmer_." Adora's tone was confused, as if this was the most obvious thing in the world.

_Okay Glimmer now is NOT the time to have a gay crisis about how precious Adora is-_

"Then will you believe me when I say I want to take care of you?"

Adora let her shoulders drop all the way. "I suppose I am just being silly, huh?"

Glimmer shook her head gently. "If it's bothering you, it's not silly. And if it's bothering you, it's important to me." She patted the space next to her and held out her arms. "There's a spot here with your name on it, if you want it."

Adora tensed. "I.. I can't."

Glimmer's heart sank. "That's okay, I don't want to make you uncomfortable."

_Get it together! You can pine for her later!_

"It's not that.. I.. I want to, but..."

Glimmer nodded encouragingly. "But what? Adora, it's okay, I promise. Whatever it is, I promise I will still be by your side."

Adora looked away. "I can't come over there because it would be dishonest."

_Huh? Dishonest about what..? Unless.. no, don't go there, Glimmer, especially not now._

"How so?"

"I can't let you.. hold me, not when I.." She made a frustrated noise. "Arrgh, why can't I talk!"

"Try a different approach?" Glimmer kept her voice calm, despite the rising nervousness.

_Don't go there. Don't do it. Don't you dare get your hopes up. She's HURTING, she NEEDS you, now is NOT the time!_

Adora looked at Glimmer, and at that moment, beneath the soft lights of Glimmer's room, Adora was the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen.

 _Gods, I'm so fucked._

And then she spoke, softly at first. "I want you to hold me, because I get this warm feeling in my chest whenever you touch me, when you hug me, when you hold my hand, when you put a hand on my shoulder when I'm freaking out about missions." Her voice trembled, but she kept going, pouring her heart out. "I know it's inappropriate, I know that I shouldn't, that I can't, I mean- you're the Princess, the daughter of the _Queen!"_ Her voice was louder now, and Glimmer felt her chest tighten at the pain behind her words.

"...and I'm just an officer. It's selfish and wrong and out of line but I can't stop, I can't get rid of this feeling, and-" She squeezed her eyes shut and turned away, hiding her face in her hands. 

She moved her hands enough to speak clearly. "...I don't _want_ to get rid of it."

_Okay, maybe we're going there! Don't freak out, don't jump to conclusions, she probably just doesn't know how to process affection, yeah, that's it, she's definitely not confessing or anything like that!_

Glimmer's frantic internal monologue raged on unnoticed by Adora, who turned to face her completely.

She met Glimmer's gaze, tears in her eyes. "I'm so sorry. I'm sorry that I can't just keep being your friend, that I can't just fall in line." The tears started to fall, but Adora ignored them. "I knew this might mean the end of our friendship, but I couldn't lie to you anymore, I couldn't keep hiding this feeling."

"Glimmer, I can't let you hold me because I'd just be taking advantage of your kindness. Stealing a few fleeting moments of something I desperately want, but that I _know_ I can't have." Glimmer's eyes widened as Adora drew a shaky breath. "I know I can't, no matter how much I want it."

_Is.. is she saying what I think she's saying..?_

"No matter how much I want _you_."

Glimmer's voice trembled, and she clutched her hands over her heart. "Adora..."

Adora's voice was sad and empty. "I know, it's selfish and foolish during a war, but I just- I couldn't hide it anymore. I'll.." She turned away again. 

"...I'll just see myself out."

" _No!_ Adora, gods, no, I'm not making you leave!" Glimmer's voice trembled, but she pushed on. "Adora, I-"

"I get it." Adora's voice was devoid of emotion.

_Okay. The hard way again then._

Glimmer teleported into Adora's lap and cupped her hands around Adora's jaw, holding her head still. Glimmer looked into her eyes, voice firm. "Adora, you are going to sit there and not say anything while I take care of you. You may speak if I ask you a question. Are we clear?"

Adora was frozen, eyes wide, but seemingly on reflex responded, "Yes ma'am!"

"Good. Adora, that warm feeling you get while I'm touching you? You are going to take a moment and enjoy this." Her voice softened. "Close your eyes and listen to my voice." Adora hesitated. "If you have to think of it as a reward, that's fine. I am freely giving this to you. I want you to indulge yourself for a while."

She gently rubbed her thumbs over Adora's cheeks. "You _deserve_ to enjoy this feeling."

Adora let her eyes slowly slide closed, and Glimmer felt her relax into her hold slightly. "There, now just relax and tell me the first thing that comes to mind,"

"In a perfect world, where would you be? What's your happy place?" Adora relaxed more and Glimmer felt her smile softly against her hands.

She answered without hesitation. "Here." Adora's one word answer held more emotion and feeling than the entirety of some speeches that Glimmer had heard over the years.

_Oh. She.. she might have it as bad as I do._

Glimmer leaned ever so slightly closer, and gently stroked Adora's cheek again. "In that.. in this perfect world, what's different?"

Adora trembled slightly. "I- I don't know if I should-"

"Shh, it's okay. It's okay if what you want isn't 'normal', or if it's 'asking too much', it would be okay if you said you wanted to be the Queen of the world, though I don't think that's really your speed."

Adora shook her head and giggled.

"There's my Adora. So, in this perfect world of ours, what's different?"

_Was saying 'ours' too much? No, don't overthink it, you're asking her to be vulnerable, it's only fair for you to be too._

Glimmer felt Adora smile a little more. "In our perfect world.. the war is over."

_She said 'our' too. Okay I may have gotten in over my head here, if she says anything else heart-wrenchingly adorable I don't think I'll be able to handle it._

"Is that all that's different?" Glimmer tried not to sound too hopeful.

"No. Catra and I are friends again. I know everything about being She-Ra."

_Oh wow she's really going for it, this worked even better than I thought it would. Okay, gay thoughts can wait-_

"The alliance is strong, and the people are safe and happy. The weather is almost always clear, and on the days it's not, I have the time to walk through the valley in the rain. I have a wonderful daughter," She blushed and paused, gathering courage. "..and the perfect wife."

Glimmer's heart jumped into her throat, and she tried to sound nonchalant. _Scratch that! Gay thoughts can NOT wait, apparently-_ "Who.. Who's your wife?"

Adora opened her eyes slowly and smiled. "...you are."

Glimmer stared back, her face as red as Adora's jacket.

_She just told me she wants to marry me. If it were anyone else I wouldn't know how to feel; but with Adora.._

_I know she means it. She probably doesn't even realize how wrecked I am from hearing her say that._

Glimmer swallowed her nerves and gently pulled herself flush against Adora's chest. "...yeah?"

Adora slowly, hesitantly wrapped her arms around Glimmer. Glimmer shivered at the touch, and nestled closer in Adora's arms, resting her head on Adora's shoulder. "...yeah. We have a cottage, at the edge of the Whispering Woods. I built it myself, to try to impress you." She let out a single breathy laugh. "It fell down and we had to have Bow rebuild it."

Glimmer giggled. "Sounds like you've really got things figured out." She wrapped her arms around Adora's middle, holding her tight.

"I mean, if it's a perfect world, I should just go with what comes naturally, right?" Adora leaned her head against Glimmer's.

Glimmer's voice was barely above a whisper. "..tell me more?"

Adora hummed. "I always kiss you goodnight."

Glimmer let out a small whimper.

_I didn't know that was a thing I wanted until JUST NOW but now that I know.._

"Adora?" Glimmer looked up at her. _I am NOT letting this chance pass us by._

"Hm? Yes?" Adora looked down, nearly nose to nose with Glimmer, who stared frozen in wonder that Adora would look at her this way. She realized she had made her second mistake tonight as she grasped for words that didn't come, lost in the eyes of the girl who had stolen her heart.

_She's looking at me so- it's like I hung the moon and stars._

_Well if I hung the moon, then she hung the sun._

"Glimmer?" Glimmer reached a hand up to gently stroke Adora's hair, then smiled.

"You have my permission to kiss me goodnight whenever you like."

Adora froze. "What? Is.. is this all real? We're not both just.. indulging in a shared unrealistic fantasy? You- you actually want to.. kiss me?"

"Adora, this stopped being a rhetorical conversation as soon as we hit 'cottage at the edge of the woods'."

"So you-"

"Love, _please_ just fucking kiss me."

Adora wasted no time.


	2. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A look at what happened after.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I might expand this into two chapters at some point, but for now I'm leaving it like this.

"You really had a close call, there. What happened?"

Adora froze, but Glimmer ducked her head sheepishly. "I had a run in with a tree branch while I was trying out a high speed maneuver. I underestimated how soon I needed to teleport and it clipped me." She looked around. " _Please_ don't tell my mom, okay?"

_The healer doesn't need to know the real story._

The healer chuckled, then patted Glimmer on the shoulder. "Your secret is safe with me, but even magic can only do so much. You're either going to have to do this the slow way, in which case she'll most likely notice the bandage on your face, or the fast way, which will almost certainly scar. It won't be a bad scar, but since it's on your eyebrow you'll have a bit where there's no hair."

"...If I'm gonna get found out either way, let's just do the fast way. I can't accidentally tear my stitches that way."

_Also the scar would be pretty hardcore._

"And hey, you'll have the 'Grizzled War General' look going on with the scar." Adora put an arm around her shoulders and squeezed slightly, and Glimmer blushed.

_**That** definitely wasn't a deciding factor, not at all!_

The healer looked at the two of them and raised an eyebrow.

Adora jumped away like she'd been burned, but Glimmer caught her hand and pulled her back, lacing their fingers together. "We want my mom to hear it from us, but yes, I've decided to pursue Adora." She smiled. "Life is too short not to love."

"It's in moments like these that you really remind me of your mother. I won't say anything, don't worry. Best of luck, to both of you. Now; let's get you patched up. Hold still.."

 

* * *

 

Angella raised an eyebrow as Glimmer and Adora arrived in the throne room. "Could we speak alone, please?"

The guards obediently filed out.

"First things first; it's good to see you, but you rarely drop in like this, so why.." Her gaze reached the scar on Glimmer's eyebrow. "I see. Did Adora have something to do with that scar, then?"

Adora's expression was blank, but Glimmer could see the way she was tensed, ready for the worst. "Yes, Your Majesty.. It was an accident, but I will take full responsibility."

"Adora, stop. You'll do no such thing." Glimmer turned and laid a comforting hand on her shoulder.

Angella was taken aback. "Oh?"

Glimmer turned back to the throne. "I went to her room to check on her, and she had just woken from a nightmare about.." Her jaw tightened. " _Shadow Weaver._ "

Angella was surprised by the amount of raw hatred in her daughter's tone.

She took a moment to compose herself. "She thought that I was another trick, another illusion. Naturally she tried to dispel the illusion, and eventually she caught up to me." She gestured to her eyebrow.

"It wasn't too bad," At this Adora looked over at her incredulously. "and once I didn't dissipate she knew I was real. We talked, and we've straightened things out."

"I see. Not that I don't want her input, but why bring her along if it's as simple as you say?"

Glimmer took a deep breath. "I did my best to comfort her, and in doing so we touched on some.. related topics dealing with her being able to feel comfortable around me. I offered to hold her while she calmed down, but.."

She took Adora's hand, and Angella's eyes widened. "She was concerned that she would be taking advantage of my kindness if she allowed herself to be physically close to me."

"So you're saying..?"

Glimmer's gaze was steadfast, and she answered with a calm but firm tone. "I'm saying that she feels the same way about me as I do about her."

Angella turned to the other girl. "Adora? Do you have anything you'd like to add?"

She shrunk into herself slightly, then looked over at Glimmer, who smiled and nodded. "I promise I'll do everything in my power to make sure nothing happens to her. I remember what you said when you first took me in: 'Do not disappoint her.'"

"Adora, I'm so sorry."

Adora flinched. "Pardon me? Your Majesty?"

Angella stood and walked down from her dais, kneeling to be at the same level as Adora. "It never occurred to me to directly tell you that you're not under watch anymore. That was a failing on my part." She set a hand on Adora's shoulder. "You're just as much a part of the Alliance as any of the other Princesses. This is your home now, if you wish it to be."

Adora looked at Angella, confusion turning to wonder. "You.. you're just.. trusting me? I- I never thought.. I thought that was just," She looked down. "I thought that was just how things were going to be."

"You've proven time and again that you are willing to put your life on the line for what the Rebellion stands for." Angella smiled softly. "You also were willing to trade your life for my daughter's, when she was captured."

"Thank you. I promise you won't regret it."

"I know, Adora. Now go, I think you two have had enough emotional turmoil for the time being." Glimmer smiled, and walked with Adora towards the castle proper.

"Oh, and Glimmer?" Glimmer stopped, and turned. "Thank you for coming to me, and thank you for telling the truth." Glimmer smiled, and left the throne room with her girlfriend.

"Glimmer.. Thanks." Adora pulled her closer, an arm around her shoulders. "For everything."

"Of course." She tried to hide a smile. "I have to live up to your title of 'perfect wife', after all."

Adora choked. "Glimmer!!"

Glimmer's laughter echoed through the halls.

 

* * *

 

"Mom?"

"Yes, dear?"

"Is it true that you gave mom that scar?"

Adora was quiet for a moment. "..yeah. I always have felt bad about it."

"Well _I_ think it just makes her look even cooler!"

Adora smiled. "I suppose it does, doesn't it?" She swept her daughter up into her arms. "How about we go see what she's up to?"

"Okay! Can I jump on Bow if he's there?"

"Only if he's not holding anything."

"YES!"

**Author's Note:**

> I have no idea if this is any good, my brain operates way differently than other people in high stress/emotion situations. So the emotional tonal shifts might be really wacky/campy. But oh well, campy is still fun.


End file.
